Black message streamer : Oberleutnant G Felmy, German Air Force

Faded black cotton message bag constructed from a single length of black cotton sateen and stitched with cream cotton construction thread. The lower edge has been folded to form a 23cm pocket. The pocket contains 4 small rocks and small amount of grit.

Black message streamer containing a box of cigarettes, photographs and a excerpts from a french newspaper. It was dropped from an aeroplane by Oberleutnant Gerhardt Felmy of the German Air Force in Palestine.

In the Middle East Felmy was the leading German pilot facing No. 1 Squadron and earned the admiration of his adversaries. It was not uncommon for him to drop messages from and photographs of recently captured Australian airmen on their home field. The Australians did the same for the Germans and drank toasts to Felmy in their mess.

Message streamers were used to drop messages and other items to troops in the field during the First World War.